Relationship With Everyone

Relationships are an essential part of life. Since we all function in a communal setting of some sort throughout the day, our interactions with one another and with the world around us shape our daily lives.

Whether those I encounter daily are my classmates, my co-workers, my roommates, my fellow team members or my spouse, life does seem to be an experience of learning to relate to others. That is not always easy, even for those of us who actually thrive on being social and relationship almost 24/7. It is in interacting with those in my community that I am often challenged to grow (often in ways in which I would rather not). It is in this growth that I am invited to examine myself, my actions and my attitudes and often concede that there is space for change. I am not always right...and I don't need to be. I do not have to have things my way all the time in order for me and others to live peacefully.

Chapter 31 of the Rule of St. Benedict starts by listing the qualities that are necessary for the cellarer (the one responsible for all material goods in a monastery). Although the some of the essentials pertain to goods and the administration of material possessions, a large amount of emphasis is placed on how relationships are handled between the members of the community. The person who distributes the goods is not to be someone who upsets others on purpose either by delaying distribution of items or by being rude or abrupt in response to a request. The members of the group are not to try to upset one another on purpose.

This reminds me in my daily encounters to remember to be as gracious as possible no matter what the response of others might be. It is part of my role in relationships to try to help others to see God present in everyday life. I need to ask myself at the end of the day. How did I make God present in life today?

Sr. Catherine, OSB